[Current Objective: Survive Lunch.]
[Current Status: Critical Condition.]
Okay, chat. Be honest with me. On a scale of one to ten, how over is it for me right now? Because I'm feeling a solid eleven on the "It's Joever" scale.
I'm currently sitting in the corner of the cafeteria. The corner. The designated spot for NPCs, background textures, and people who forgot their headphones and have to stare at the wall to avoid eye contact. That's me. I am the texture.
But here's the issue. The atmosphere in here? It's heavy. Like, gravity-just-increased-by-5x heavy.
I'm trying to eat my spicy pork cutlet. It's a good cutlet. Solid 8/10, the breading is crisp. But I can't taste it. You know why? Because I can feel them.
The eyes.
I don't want to look up. If I look up, I initiate the interaction event, and I don't have the dialogue options unlocked for that yet. But I can feel the burning sensation on the back of my neck.
I take a risk. I shift my gaze about fifteen degrees to the left, pretending to check the clock on the wall.
Mistake.
Big mistake. Huge.
Three girls from Class 2-B are staring at me. Not just glancing. Staring. The moment my eyes sweep past them, they freeze like deer in headlights. One of them, the girl with the cute bob cut, immediately drops her chopsticks. They clatter onto the metal tray with a sound that echoes like a gunshot in a library.
She turns bright red. Her friends start whispering furiously, vibrating with what I can only assume is pure, unadulterated judgment.
Internal Monologue:
"Oh god. It's my face, isn't it? I have sauce on my face. I look like a toddler who lost a war with spaghetti. Or maybe my resting face is too depressed? Do I look like I'm about to cry? I feel like I'm about to cry."
I quickly wipe my mouth with a napkin. I check the napkin.
Clean.
So it's not sauce.
It's just me. My existence is the problem. I am emitting negative rizz radiation. I am the Chernobyl of social interaction.
I look back at my pork cutlet. I just want to eat. Why is everyone so tense? The guy at the table next to me is trembling. Literally shaking. He's eating his soup like he's trying to defuse a bomb.
Dude, just eat your soup. I'm not gonna steal it.
I sigh. It's a long, heavy sigh because I'm tired of being socially incompetent.
Suddenly, the cafeteria goes quiet. Not the usual lull in conversation. I'm talking about that "Voldemort just walked in" kind of silence. The air pressure drops.
I look up.
Oh, no.
Oh, god no.
Chat, clip this. This is the moment I die.
It's Baek Yerin.
The Class Idol. The Ice Queen. The girl who has rejected more confessions than I have brain cells. She's walking through the aisle, holding her tray like it's a royal decree. And she's walking… towards me?
No, impossible. She's probably heading for the trash can behind me. Yeah, that's it. I'm just an obstacle on her path to waste disposal.
I shrink into my seat, trying to make myself look small. Please don't perceive me. Please don't perceive me.
She stops.
Right in front of my table.
She slams her tray down.
Thud.
She sits opposite me.
[System Alert: Boss Battle Initiated.]
Okay. Don't panic.
DO NOT PANIC.
Why is Baek Yerin sitting with me? There are literally fifty empty seats. There are seats near the window. There are seats near her friends. She chose the seat directly across from Han Jinsu, the human equivalent of a disconnect error.
Is this a prank? Are there cameras? Is this for TikTok? "Watch me endure lunch with the School Creep challenge?"
I look at her.
She's staring at me.
Dead in the eyes.
Her expression is… unreadable. It's cold. Arctic. If looks could kill, I'd be respawning at the nearest checkpoint right now. She has that perfect, porcelain skin and those sharp cat-like eyes that usually look bored, but right now, they look intense.
She hasn't taken a bite of her food. She's just watching me.
My Brain: Say something. Say something cool. Say literally anything before the silence becomes a physical object and crushes you.
Me: "..."
Her: "..."
Me (Internal): Ah, yes. The classic silent treatment. Bold strategy, Jinsu. Let's see if it pays off.
I need to break the ice. But what do I say?
"Nice weather?" (Too NPC.)
"Do you like bread?" (Too weird.)
"Please don't hurt me?" (Too honest.)
I decide to go with a non-verbal cue first. I'll nod. A polite, acknowledgment nod. The kind that says, "I respect your presence, fellow human."
I nod.
She flinches.
Actually flinches. Her shoulders tense up, and her eyes widen slightly.
Did I nod too aggressively? Did I look like I was head-butting the air? God, I'm so cooked. I have zero motor control when I'm nervous. I probably looked like I was having a seizure.
She takes a deep breath. She looks down at her hands. They're clenching her skirt.
Is she… angry? Did I steal her seat? Is this her seat?
Me (Internal): Oh my god, I'm sitting in the Queen's Spot. I'm gentrifying her lunch zone. I need to evacuate.
I start to stand up. "I-I can leave if—"
"Sit."
Her voice cuts through the air. It's not loud, but it's firm. Sharp.
I sit back down immediately. My butt hits the chair so hard it hurts.
"O-Okay," I whisper. My voice cracks. Of course it cracks. I sound like a puberty-stricken dolphin.
She stares at me again. Then, she slowly pushes a carton of strawberry milk across the table towards me.
[Item Received: Strawberry Milk (Rare)]
I stare at the milk. Then at her.
"For… me?" I ask.
She looks away, her cheeks turning slightly pink. Is she blushing? No, she's probably just flushed with rage at my incompetence.
"I don't need it," she mutters. "Take it. Or throw it away. I don't care."
Analysis:
* She gave me milk.
* She is being aggressive about it.
* This is clearly a test.
If I drink it, am I accepting her dominance? If I refuse it, am I insulting her? Is the milk poisoned? Is this a laxative prank?
Think, Jinsu. What does a normal person do?
"Thanks," I say, my voice sounding incredibly deadpan because I'm trying not to stutter. I grab the milk.
I try to poke the straw in.
Stab.
The straw bends.
Stab.
It bends again.
Stab.
I am failing to penetrate the juice box. This is the height of humiliation. The Class Idol is watching me lose a fight against packaging.
I apply a little more force. I channel all my anxiety into my thumb.
POP.
The straw goes in. A little drop of pink milk shoots out and lands on my hand.
I look up.
Yerin is staring at my hand. Her eyes are wide. She looks… terrified? Impressed?
Yerin: "You… you didn't even hesitate."
Me: "Huh?"
Yerin: "Most people use the sharp end. You just… forced it."
Me: "I... I guess?"
Yerin: (Whispering to herself) "So violent. Yet so controlled."
Me (Internal): What is she yapping about? I just wanted some calcium.
Episode 3: The Hallway of Doom
Lunch is over. I survived, but at what cost? My cortisol levels are through the roof.
I'm walking down the hallway to my next class. History. I like History. The people in History are dead, so they can't judge me.
I put my hands in my pockets and hunch my shoulders. I call this the "Invisible Mode." If I look at the floor, nobody can see me. That's how physics works, right?
But the hallway is crowded. As I walk, the "Red Sea Effect" happens.
People part ways.
A group of first-year guys are laughing and joking. They see me coming.
They instantly shut up. They press themselves against the lockers.
"Good afternoon, Sunbae-nim!" one of them shouts, bowing at a perfect 90-degree angle.
I stop.
I look left. I look right.
Are they talking to me?
I point at myself. "Me?"
The kid looks like he's about to wet himself. "Y-Yes! Have a safe walk, sir!"
Me (Internal): Sir? I'm seventeen. I play Minecraft on the weekends. Why are you treating me like a Yakuza lieutenant?
I panic. I don't know how to respond to respect. I'm not built for this.
I just nod (again, with the stiff neck) and walk faster.
Why is this happening?
I catch my reflection in a trophy case as I pass by.
Tall. Black hoodie. Messy black hair that covers my eyes because I'm too lazy to get a haircut. Dark circles under my eyes from staying up until 4 AM reading manhwa.
I look… tired.
But maybe to them, I don't look tired.
Maybe I look like I just disposed of a body.
[Perception Check Failed.]
I hear whispering behind me.
"Did you see that? He didn't even look at them."
"Cold. So cold."
"I heard he took down a senior from another school just by looking at him."
"I heard he doesn't have a heartbeat."
Me (Internal): I literally have arrhythmia, you guys. My heart beats too much. That's the problem.
I finally make it to the classroom. I slide the door open.
Schwing.
The chatter in the room dies instantly.
Thirty heads turn.
The teacher, Mr. Kim, freezes mid-sentence. He's holding a piece of chalk.
"Ah… Jinsu. You're… here."
"I'm here," I mumble.
"Take your seat. Please. No trouble today, okay?"
Trouble? When have I ever caused trouble? The most rebellious thing I've ever done is drink orange juice after brushing my teeth.
I walk to my seat at the back of the class (the protagonist seat, naturally).
As I sit down, I notice something on my desk.
A letter.
A pink letter.
With a heart sticker on it.
[Item Alert: Love Letter?]
My brain stops.
Rebooting…
Error 404.
Is this a bully prank? It has to be. Inside, it probably says "You suck" or "Kill yourself" or "Join my MLM scheme."
I stare at it. I'm afraid to touch it. It's glowing with ominous energy.
The girl sitting in front of me, Choi Mina, turns around. Mina is the loud, energetic type. The type that gives me hives.
She looks at the letter. Then she looks at me.
She smirks. A terrifying, knowing smirk.
"Popular today, aren't we, Jinsu?" she teases.
"I didn't do it," I say automatically.
"It's from Class 1-C," she whispers. "The new girl. She saw you in the hallway yesterday."
Me: "Saw me doing what?"
Mina: "Standing there. Menacingly."
Me: "I was waiting for the bus!"
Mina: "Exactly. You looked like a lone wolf waiting for his prey. She's into that bad boy aesthetic."
Bad Boy Aesthetic?
Chat, I sleep in pajamas with little bears on them. My favorite movie is Paddington 2.
I pick up the letter with two fingers, like it's radioactive waste.
"What do I do with it?"
Mina rolls her eyes. "Read it, dummy. Or are you going to break her heart like you did to Yerin at lunch?"
Me: "I DID WHAT TO YERIN?"
The whole class turns around.
"Shh!" Mina hisses. "Keep your voice down, you scary bastard."
"I didn't break her heart," I whisper-shout. "She gave me milk! I drank the milk! We bonded over dairy products!"
Mina looks at me with pity. Genuine pity.
"Jinsu… everyone saw it. She sat with you. She offered you a tribute. You stared her down, drank it in one gulp without breaking eye contact, and then left without saying a word. You asserted dominance over the Queen. The forums are going crazy. They're calling you the 'Ice King'."
Me (Internal): I am going to throw up. I am actually going to vomit.
I need to clear my head.
I escape to the rooftop during the break. The rooftop is usually locked, but the lock is broken (I didn't break it, I swear, it was like that when I found it), so I use it to get some fresh air.
I lean against the railing, looking out at the city.
Why can't I just be normal? Why does the universe interpret my anxiety as charisma?
I pull out my phone. I open the school's anonymous community app, "Bamboo Forest."
Top Post:
[Title: The King and The Queen at Lunch today???]
> Saw Han Jinsu sit with Baek Yerin today.
> The tension was insane. Air crackled.
> He didn't even flinch when she slammed the tray.
> He crushed the milk carton with his bare hands.
> Is this the start of a power couple war? Or are they dating?
> He's so Sigma. I made eye contact with him once and got pregnant (I'm a dude).
Comments:
* User123: "Han Jinsu is scary af but kinda hot ngl."
* User444: "He looks like he could kill me. I want him to."
* User999: "I heard he's actually really nice?" -> (-56 Downvotes)
I downvote User999 too just to fit in. Wait, that's me. I just downvoted myself. I am truly cooked.
The door to the rooftop creaks open.
I freeze. I quickly hide my phone.
It's not a teacher.
It's Yerin. Again.
Why? Why are we magnetizing towards each other today?
She sees me. She pauses. The wind blows her hair dramatically. Of course it does. She has main character physics.
"I knew you'd be here," she says.
Me: "How?"
Yerin: "It's the only place isolated enough for someone like you."
Me: "Someone like me?" You mean a socially anxious loser?
She walks closer. She stops about three feet away. She looks at the view, then at me.
She looks… frustrated.
"Why didn't you talk to me?" she asks. Her voice is quieter now. Less commanded.
Me: "At lunch?"
Yerin: "Yes. You just took the milk and stared."
Me: "I… I was nervous."
She blinks. "Nervous? You?" She lets out a short, dry laugh. "Don't mock me, Han Jinsu."
"I'm not!"
"You always look like you're bored of everything," she says, gripping the railing. "Like everyone around you is beneath your notice. Even me. I sat there, trying to… trying to thank you for help me with the notes last week, and you just looked through me like I was glass."
Wait.
The notes?
Flashback: Last week, I found a notebook on the floor. I picked it up. I saw it had Yerin's name on it. I was too scared to talk to her, so I just put it on her desk while she was in the bathroom and ran away like a ninja.
Me: "I… I didn't think you knew that was me."
Yerin: "Of course I knew. You have a very distinct… presence."
She turns to face me fully. She steps closer.
I step back, hitting the railing. Nowhere to run.
"So," she says, her eyes narrowing. "Are you going to ignore me now, too?"
"No!" I yelp. "I… I like… talking… to you?"
Smooth. Negative rizz. Absolutely atrocious.
She stares at me for a long, agonizing second.
Then, the corners of her mouth twitch.
She smiles.
It's a tiny, barely visible smile. But it's there.
"Good," she says. "Then walk me home today."
[Quest Updated: Walk the Ice Queen Home.]
[Difficulty: Legendary.]
"H-Home?" I stammer.
"Unless you're too busy being mysterious and brooding," she teases.
"I'm free!" I shout. Too loud. "I mean. I have no plans. My schedule is empty. Void. Null."
"Cool," she says. She turns around, hair whipping me in the face (it smells like strawberries, obviously). "Meet me at the gate at 4."
She walks away.
I slide down the railing until I'm crouching on the floor.
I pull out my phone again.
New Chat Log: Me (Brain)
> Did that just happen?
> Did I just get a date?
> Or am I being led to a secondary location for execution?
I look at the pink letter in my pocket.
I look at the door where Yerin just left.
Me: "Chat, I think I might be the main character. But I have no idea what the plot is."
I stand up, dust off my pants, and try to put on my 'cool face' for the hallway.
I fail. I trip over my own shoelace.
But luckily, nobody sees it.
Or so I think.
From the shadow of the stairwell, a camera shutter clicks.
Click.
[To Be Continued...]
Author's Note:
Yo, it's your boy Author-nim here! Thanks for reading Chapter 1!
If you enjoyed watching Jinsu suffer from success, please drop a like and comment!
Question for the readers: Is Yerin actua
lly scary, or is she just as socially awkward as Jinsu but hides it better?
Let me know in the comments! 👇
[Next Episode Preview]
"Why is the Kendo Club Captain challenging me to a duel? I've never held a sword in my life! Is that a real katana? HELP!"